We all deserve quality. Well-designed products, environments, and advertisements should be the baseline for everyone. But that’s naive. The upside of less-than-perfect design decisions—as frustrating and icky as they are—is that they create a lot of room for unintentional comedy. And they help you see what your sense of taste is like, too!
Today, we’re featuring some of the most hilariously bad design fails ever, and you have to wonder how they ever got approved. These are the things that should never have left brainstorming sessions, blueprints, and blackboard drafts!
#1 Carpet Around The Drain Is Crazy
Image source: dickb0tt
#2 Step 1: Pull Forward And Park In This Spot. Step 2: Car Pulls In Behind You. You Are Now Stuck
Image source: hilfigertout
#3 Tea, Teaea, Tea!
Image source: DootOfTheWind
The question of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ taste is a complex one. Often, you can intuitively tell whether something is designed well or not, even if you don’t quite have the vocabulary to explain why you think so. No matter your subjective preferences, there are objective factors that improve a product’s quality or detract from it.
Legendary designer Dieter Rams argued that good design has 10 core principles. From his perspective, good design is innovative, aesthetic, unobtrusive, honest, long-lasting, thorough to the last detail, environmentally friendly, and not overdesigned. What’s more, good design makes a product useful and understandable.
#4 When Your Rug Gives You A Neck Workout But Obantic Still Makes No Sense
Image source: rdvn
#5 That’s Super Clear-Ish
Image source: axon-axoff
#6 The Baby Changing Area In The O’hare Bathrooms – The Whole Area Was Soaked And My 16-Month-Old’s Feet Were In The Sink 😑
Image source: Ok_Sink6064
According to Sterlin L. Mosley, Ph.D., a professor of human relations at the University of Oklahoma, there is no “clean answer” as to whether or not taste is objective or subjective.
From his perspective, the question itself is “malformed.” He argues that Western design’s idea of good taste “reflects cultural institutionalization, not universal truth.”
#7 Why Is Every Hotel Trying To Reinvent Shower Controls
Image source: Active_Honey_700
#8 Not A Bathroom, A Room With A Slight Afterthought Of Bath
Image source: Yonda_00
#9 The Amount Of Floor Space In This Single Toilet Bathroom Is The CVS Receipt Of Bathroom Floor Spaces
Image source: DigMeTX
“Taste is both [objective and subjective], and the relationship between the dimensions is dialectical rather than hierarchical, always contextual, always relational, always in conversation with who is doing the designing and who or what they are designing for,” Mosley writes in a post on Psychology Today.
He emphasizes that coherence, rather than something “too variable and too culturally embedded” as beauty, should be the standard.
#10 Champs 🥀🥀 (Found This At A School I Went To For A Chess Match)
Image source: randomgy-1-2-
#11 Ah Yes, The Rack At 53″ Inches Is Bigger Than The 64″ Inch Women
Image source: StingingGamer
#12 She Looks Like A Butternut
Image source: SteelGengar_2
Mosley explains that, for him, coherence is “the degree to which a visual environment accurately externalizes the inner logic of the person or community to which it belongs.”
“It cannot be used as a bludgeon the way ‘good taste’ has historically been used, but it is also not arbitrary; most people can feel the difference between a space coherent with their inner experience and one that isn’t, even when they lack the vocabulary to say why,” he states.
“That level of attunement with the self is what I mean by taste, if I mean anything precise by the word at all. Not a ranking of objects according to an inherited hierarchy of refinement, but a sensitivity, both to oneself and to the world being made, and the ongoing dialectical conversation between the two.”
#13 Which Button Am I Supposed To Use …?
Image source: Windwind444
#14 A Poster I Saw On The Train
Image source: hex-grrrl
#15 Spotted In The Nashville Airport
Image source: ShadowFigure81
Objectivity and subjectivity aside, professionals disagree about core things, such as whether you can learn and teach good taste. For some, it is a question of acquiring new ideas. For others, taste is something deeply personal, something that you’re born with.
Meanwhile, Emmanuel Platt, the director of merchandising at MoMA, explained to House Beautiful that everyone can learn taste. It is a question of studying, research, exposure, and experience.
“You learn from different people, different travels… You meet with artists, designers, manufacturers.”
#16 “Star Strategy” Cupcakes Launched In A Business
Image source: Wonderful_Feeling_61
#17 This Bathroom At My Relatives’ Resort
Image source: Adventurous_Tough773
#18 Is It 6 Or 9?
Image source: MadJoeMak
On the other hand, Omar Nobil, creative director of Design Within Reach, sees things differently than Platt.
“I don’t think you can teach taste. Our job is to expose and educate people to what we think is important and to explain to them why. What they take from that is up to them and how that evolves their perspectives.”
From Nobil’s perspective, taste is individual. “If you’re lucky, you’re exposed and connected to the people who will bring out the best of that.”
#19 This Bathroom Design… Chef Kiss
Image source: Ashkoshbagosh
#20 It Reminds Me Of 👁️👄👁️
Image source: broofers
#21 The Entrance Of Possible Death
Image source: Turk137
Meanwhile, interior designer Jeremiah Brent noted that taste isn’t something that you’re born with, like your genetics. For him, it is a question of being curious and imaginative, and expanding your horizons through exploration.
“The most beautiful taste is just when you see the curiosity of someone’s spirit through their work or what they’re gravitating towards,” Brent told House Beautiful.
#22 This Colossal Gap In My Car’s Visor. So Much Sun Gets Through It, And There’s Absolutely No Way To Fix It
Image source: Swimming-Narwhal-663
#23 This Harry Potter Projector Wand Literally Just Looks Like A Deer Farting
Image source: —Sanguine—
#24 The Letters In This Star
Image source: [deleted]
The ‘[Bad] Design’ online group we’re featuring is a legend on the internet and one of the best-known communities in its niche. It was first created in 2011 and has been entertaining netizens and shaming bad designs for more than a decade and a half.
According to the moderators, not everything that feels like bad design at first glance actually belongs on the sub. For instance, amateur artwork and signs aren’t considered worthy of posting. Neither is anything that’s broken, cursive handwriting or fonts, clocks with the Roman numeral IIII instead of IV for 4, novelty items, off-brand products, satire, typos, grammar errors, or bad translations.
#25 “Stay Auelėle”. This Is Supposed To Say “Stay Awhile”. I Don’t See It
Image source: Ok-Frosting-1892
#26 This Monitor Made For Bending Cables (Already Took One Hdmi Life Fs In Chat)
Image source: queensequoyah
#27 Wall Mount Can’t Mount Wall
Image source: Web_Relative
Previously, one of the friendly moderators who helps keep the online community running smoothly told us about the idea behind the project.
“The original motivation for the subreddit was to point out [bad] designs. Nowadays, most subscribers probably come here for entertainment. However, it is common to have meaningful discussion here on why or why not something is [bad] design,” they told Bored Panda earlier.
They stressed that the group is incredibly popular online.
#28 My Ovens Terrible Temperature Dial With Odd And Inconsistent Intervals Between Temperature, And Who Knows After 200 (Reuploaded For Not Giving Enough Detail)
Image source: InquisitorCorinthius
#29 If Only You Could Make A Slice Of Pizza Could Look Like An A
Image source: food_sheriff
#30 Menu At A Restaurant…for Cannibals?
Image source: rinaball
We want to know which of these horrendously hilarious and hilariously horrendous designs offended you the most. On the other hand, maybe there were some designs that you genuinely thought were (kind of) good?
Personally, what do you look for in terms of great design? On the flip side, what are the biggest red flags for you as a customer and consumer?
Tell us what you think in the comments under the pics or at the bottom of this list!
#31 This Isn’t How Wordle Works
Image source: VRZcuber14
#32 Measuring Tape Using Cm, But Its Length Is In Inches
Image source: Radockys
#33 Rumor Has It I’ve Been Looking For The Exit To This Very Day
Image source: Luminiferous_reefer
#34 Spac Eship (On A Toy Truck)
Image source: itsmespiderbeach
#35 Kids Word Search Unevenly Spaced; How Can They Find Vertical And Diagonal Words?!
Image source: ImprovementOk8785
#36 I Guess You Have To Sniff These To Tell The Shampoo From The Conditioner
Image source: RonNona
#37 You Can Have Both The H And The R, Or You Can Have Neither
Image source: thatbrunettethere
#38 “Of Course I Know What A Power Drill Looks Like, Why Do You Ask?”
Image source: Temperance10
#39 Disney Tricycle That Was Banned From Sale For Having Pointy Parts Right Where Your Little Girl’s Face Is Going To Go Should She Have A Sudden Stop
Image source: GeneralMagnum
#40 These Switches Are Still Confusing Even After Labelling Them And Living Here For 4 Years
Image source: JakksonK
#41 Nice Book For Children
Image source: Ok-Investment-884
#42 What Is This Supposed To Say??
Image source: WyFyR
#43 Completely Flat Sink That Doesn’t Drain Water
Image source: Erwasen
#44 We Called This The Vrbo Death Toilet
Image source: jgraham6
#45 That’s A Feature That Could’ve Been Left In The Brochure Instead Of Permanently Attached To The Back Of Every Model In Production
Image source: acemachine26
#46 I Could Handle Straddling The Toilet While I Wash My Hands, But The Doors…
Image source: Ithinkthisllwork
#47 Beach House With An Amazing View… Of Their Fireplace. Literally Across The Street From The Ocean
Image source: Old_Competition_6047
#48 Tub Access In Million Dollar Home
Image source: tallroids
#49 Why Is She Looking At Me Like This?
Image source: ZePotat00
#50 My Work Keyboard Has Swapped Volume Keys… Why Would This Brand Do That Smh
Image source: Critical_Hurry_8270
#51 “Calming” Sensory Sticker That Has An Unsolvable Maze
Image source: TMars_55
#52 Would Be Fine If This Were Actually Lotion
Image source: RickFromTheParty
#53 This Stove In A Premium Airbnb
Image source: itsbeachjustice
#54 This Property Map Legend Is Just Terrible
Image source: IndependencePlus4485
#55 In The Public Ladies Restroom In My Local High Street. Probably The Most Uncomfortable Place Ever To Have An Ibs Flare Up
Image source: skylinegang_36
#56 The Styling Says “In This House We Believe,” The Text Says “We’ll See You In Court”
Image source: SophieSelkie
#57 A Combination No One Has Ever Wanted. So Awful I Had To Make My First Post
Image source: MrMago0
#58 $1800/Mo 1 Bedroom Apartment In NJ
Image source: DingusTardo
#59 So We Drinking Out Of Mermaids’ Buttholes Now
Image source: lik3r_of_things
#60 Obvious Use Of Yellow Paint Bucket Tool When Designing This Banner
Image source: alexisonfire04
#61 Waste Of Space & Trap Hazard
Image source: G_ntl_m_n
#62 Sprinkle Scented Wax Melts That Look Like Sprinkles
Image source: memerdo
#63 The Switches Don’t Really Match Up
Image source: Mitinus
#64 Socks That Make You Look Like You’ve Fled A Crime Scene
Image source: mykie206
#65 I Can’t Be The Only One That Thinks It Says To Follow The Child Home Right?
Image source: silentkiller082
#66 The Pool Of The Fountain At My Local Mall Is Too Small To Catch Its Water, Creating A Slip Hazard Around It
Image source: BB_Jack
#67 The Urinal Is Right In Front Of The Stall Door In A Bathroom At My University
Image source: TheDoctor__50
#68 It’s Supposed To Be A Floral Pattern, It Looks Like Bruises
Image source: angrybackgroundnoise
#69 Local Comicon Has A Huge Hulk Who Appears To Be In An Uncomfortable Situation!
Image source: Deinonychus-sapiens
#70 User-Friendly Pool Ladder
Image source: [deleted]
#71 A Tounge Sticking Out Underneath Her Mouth
Image source: House0fmouseworks
#72 Honestly I Can’t Find Any Good Reason To Put 10% Of A Logo On A Corner, Its Just Weird As Hell
Image source: kamikyappu
#73 A Dog Toy That Has 2 Mouths
Image source: Frosty_Replacement12
#74 New Lids At Starbucks. The Barista Said “They’re Not Easy To Drink Out Of. “
Image source: extra-King
#75 A Pie Chart Used In A Workplace Training
Image source: gampsandtatters
#76 Cyber Truck Bike Rack Blocks The License Plate And Brake Lights
Image source: Coin_Cam
#77 Hand Dryers On Matt Painted Walls
Image source: cantaffordacar
#78 Benches Designed By Someone Who Hates The Concept Of Sitting Down
Image source: Actual_Count_6391
#79 Greenland? Iceland? Nah, They Don’t Exist
Image source: Slenderman7676RBLX
#80 Been Stuck Sitting In This Horrid Chair All Afternoon
Image source: flatearthmom
#81 Wow This Looks Dangerous
Image source: maybesaydie
#82 At What Point Do You Just Go “Ya Know What, It Isn’t Worth The Open Floor Water Feature”
Image source: UncleGarfunkle
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